Coin collector



F. A. HOYT COIN COLLECTOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 lNVENTOR By F. A. H077 j fidf ATTORNELV Oct. 12, 1954 Filed Aug. 25, 1948 F/G.3 23, 2g; 1+

Oct. 12, 1954 F. A. HOYT 2,691,434

com COLLECTOR Filed Aug. 25, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 'IlIIIllIIlIlIIlIIIIlIlIlII/Illfl I m I 'IIIIIIIII.

II/1. I'll YIIIIII/Il/III IIJ 'IIIIIIIIIIIIIIA TIIIIIA INI/ENT OR F. A.HOV T MQJWQA ,4 T TORNEY Oct. 12, 1954 F. A. HOYT 2,691,434

COIN COLLECTOR Filed Aug. 25, 1948 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 m l/EN T05 F. A HOV T ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 12, 1954 KWIAM COIN COLLECTOR Frederick A. Hoyt, East Orange, N. J assignor' to Bell Telephonel'laboratories, Incorporated, New" York, N. Y'., acorporation of'N'ew York Application August 25, 1948, SerialNo. 46,099

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to coin collector apparatus and more particularly to a type of coin collector apparatus in which a coin chute is provided- The object of the invention is to provide improved control means to control the operation of the coin collector apparatus by coins passing through the apparatus.

A feature of the invention resides in an electromagnet device operable to permit a coin to travel uninterruptedly through the coin chute whenever talking current is on the line.

Another feature resides in a gate operating arm.

A telephone coin collector apparatus now in general use and of a type following in general the structure of the coin collector shown and described in the O. F. Forsberg United States Patent 1,043,219, the apparatus is designed to operate to give telephone service when a five cent piece or some coin of' greater value than a five cent piece is deposited in the coin collector. The telephone coin collector apparatus will therefore operate to give telephone service upon payment into the coin collector of at least a five cent piece (nickel). If it were found necessary however to make the initial charge for telephone service more than a nickel, the telephone coin collector would not operate to require the higher payment before a telephone call could be made.

In my copending application F. A. Hoyt, Serial Nov 14,589 filed March 12, 1948, there. is shown a telephone coin. collector apparatus. in. which means. are provided; to hold a first deposited nickel from causing the telephone. coin. collector to operate to give telephone service until. a second' nickel or coin of greater value is deposited in. the telephone coin collector.

In the. present invention, means are provided to divert coins from coming into engagement with a coin stopping finger if a. telephone call connection. is already established.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 isa front elevational view of a telephone coin collector including the invention;

Fig; 2 is' an enlarged view of'acoin chute used. in the telephone coin collector'shown in Fig. 1.

with a movable gateand coin controlling fingers:

supported on the coin'chute;

Fig; 3 shows aportion of the coin chute and. is'

taken from an opposite-side of the showing in Fig: 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged side view partly'in" section;

2 portion shown in Fig. i and taken on the line 55 in Fig. 4,;

Fig. 6. shows the coin operated. fingers, the.

electromagnet' device and a gate operating. arm, and switchhook' and a portion of the coihchute leading to a hopper. into which. a coin operable trigger extends;

Fig; 7'isia partial view of Fig. 6' and showing a.

coin travelingthrough the coin chute;

the directions of travelof. the coins;

Fig; 9' shows a trigger that has beenoperated by a coin to close a switch and the finger'mechanism held in latched condition;

Fig. 10'shows the trigger restored to. non-operated position; and

Fig. 11 shows the fingers conditioned so that they will. not function. to control the passage. of. a coin or'coins: going through the coin chute;

The telephone coin collector I2 shown in Fig. 1, comprises a casing l3 having a coin refund opening t4 and a door IE. A movable switchhook 16 extends outwardl'y'fromi the casing H to support a telephone instrument l'lf'. Supported on top of the casing I3 is. a coin gauge [8 in which coins" may'be inserted to pay for telephone service required and the'coi'n gauge It. has

apertures til, 20- and. 2 I formed therein to receive. respectivelya' five cent piece, a ten cent. piece and".

a twenty-five cent piece. which Will. hereinafter be called respectively; a nickel, a dime and a.

quarter. Thecoin gauge l8 is'inregister'with a coin chute 22 shown enlarged in Fig. 2 and which is supported'in the casing l'3in an inclined. posi' tion as shown in Fig. 4'. The coin chute 2'2comprises assembled'plates 24 and? 25 which may be stamped out of sheet stainless steel or other suitable material and formed and arranged:- to provide a nickel runwayZfi, a dime runway Zland a quarter runway 2t'shown' in Fig. 2. As shown in Figs. 6', '7', 8, 9, 10 and 11, the lower endili of. the coin chute 22 is constructed and arrangedto deliver coins to a hopper 39 of a coindistributor. 3!. The coin distributor 31 is equipped witha trigger 32 controlling a switch 331. The structure of the coin distributor 3!. forms no part of the. present invention.

a coinbox not shown but located. to. the rear of the door 15.. Atelephone. coin collector: following, in general the. structure of the telephone coin collector. I2, is. shown and d'escribed'in the 0;. F. Forsberg United States Patent 1,043,219 and'reference may be had to that patent for an understanding of the'stru'cture andoperation of a telephone coin' collector of this general type.

Fig. 8 shows two nickels inthe coin chute and- Its function, however, is to. direct-a. coin to either the coin refund opening i l or into As shown in Figs. t. and two pivotally supported fingers 3 no 35 and a pivotally supported gate 33 are provided to control the passage of a niclrel through the nickel runway 26. When the gate St is open. a nickel placed in the telephone coin collector will fall through an opening in one of the walls of the coin chute and pass to the coin refund opening S i from which the nickel may be recovered by the person who deposited the nickel in the telephone coin collector. When the gate is closed the nickel will not fall through the aperture in the wall of the coin chute. The pivotally supported fingers 3t and 355 are constructed and arranged to extend into the nickel runway 23 and their function is to prevent full operation of the telephone coin collector until an initial payment of two nickels or a coin of equal or greater value than two nickels is deposited in the telephone coin collector.

As shown in Fig. 4, the nickel runway as is cooperatively defined by the walls 23 and 25 of the coin chute 22 which is supported in an inclined position in the casing is and so that the wall 24 is on the lower side of the inclined structure and forms in effect the front wall of the nickel runway 23. Due to the inclined position of the coin chute 22, a ni kel in passing through the nickel runway 25 will bear against the wall 24. An aperture 3'5 of larger dimensions than the diameter of a nickel is formed in the wall 2% and the gate 36 of slightly smaller dimensions than the aperture 33 is operable in this aperture to prevent or allow a nickel to fall through the aperture 3?. The gate 33 is pivotally supported on a shaft 33 supported in apertured spaced sup ports 33 and 48 extending from the wall 2d. A spring 4! supported on a shaft 33 and having one end portion in engagement with the wall 24 and another end portion in engagement with the gate 35, operates to urge the gate 39: to a closed position. The gate 35 as shown in Figs. i and 5 is equipped with an arm 42 which extends across the nickel runway and through an elongated aperture d3 formed in the wall 23 and into engage ment with a flexible arm 19 mounted on and extending from a lever A l, secured to a rotatable shaft 5 supported in the casing [3. The rotatable shaft i3 is in mechanical connection with the switchhook I G and is rotated in one direction when the telephone instrument H is placed on the switchhook 25. When the telephone instrument H is on the switchhook IS, the gate 3&5 is open, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, since the weight of the telephone instrument ll is sufiicient to operate the shaft 43 to hold the gate 3% opened against the action of the spring ti and when the telephone instrument ll is removed from the switchhook it the spring il causes the gate 33 to close, as shown in full lines in Figs. 4 and 5. The arm 12 is equipped with a roller '13 for en gagement with the fiexible arm l9 extending from the lever 44.

The pivotally supported fingers 3 and are located in register with the aperture 31 and are mounted on the outer face of the wall 23. As viewed in Figs. 3, 6, 7, 8 and 9, the finger 3% is located to the right of and slightly above the finger 35. The finger 34 has a plate-like body portion with angularly extending side flanges 41 and 48 which are apertured to accommodate a shaft 49 mounted in spaced and apertured lugs 53 and 51 extending from the wall 23. The finger s4 is pivotally supported by means of a shaft 43 and the body portion 35 terminates at its lower end in a curved end portion 52 constructed and arranged to extend through an aperture 53 in the wall 23 and into the nickel runway 23. The flange G8 has an arm portion 56 extending in the same plane as the 23 and outwardly with respect to the flange -353 and the plate-like body portion 43. finger 33 a plate-like body portion 55 with angularly extending side flanges 56 and 57 which are apertured to accommodate a longitudinally movable pin 58, extending through spaced and apertured lugs 52 and Gil, extending from the wall 23. The plate-like body portion is channel shaped in cross-section and terminates at its upper end in a tongue portion ill and at its lower end in a curved end portion 62 constructed and arranged to extend through an aperture 63 in the wall 23 and into the nickel runway 26. Extending outwardly and then leterally from the side flange 58 of the finger 3E and overlying the outer end of the arm portion 51% of the finger 3:3 is an arm portion 3 4 to hold the finger as against outward pivotal movement e: cept when the finger 35 is moved as required. The finger 35 is pivotally supported on the pin 53 and a restoring spring 65 mounted on the pin 58 and engaging the finger and the wall 23 serves to urge the finger 35 to such position that the end portion is in the nickel runway Eli and the arm portion 54 bears against the outer end of the arm portion 55 of he finger at. The arm portion 5 3 on the finger 35 and the arm portion 54 on the finger 3t cooperatively form a releasable latch means for the finger 3d. Since the finger 3 3 is pivotally supported by the shaft 49 and the finger 33 is pivotally supported on the pin 53 the fingers 3d and be operated to swing outwardly with respect to the wall 23 to bring the end portions 52 and i2 01 the respective fingers 3A and 35 out of the nickel runway 23. lhis outward movement of the fingers 3% and 35 is against the action of the spring which normally urges the finger 35 inwardly with respect to the nickel runway 23 and by reason of the arm portion 64 overlying the outer end of the arm portion 35 urges the finger 3d inwardly with respect to the nickel runway 23. When the finger 35 is swung outwardly with respect to the wall 23, the arm portion 3 on the finger 35 moves out of the way of the arm portion 3 3 on the finger 34 and the finger 34 can then swing outwardly to clear the end portion 52 from the nickel runway 26.

The longitudinally movable pin 33 in addition to serving as a pivotal supporting means for the finger 35 can be adjusted to hold the finger 3d outwardly swung from the wall 23 to en .1 p sition that the end 32 of the finger 3d will be clear of the nickel runway 26. The pin 53 has a bent outer end 38 as shown in Fig. 5 to be selectively made to extend into spaced apertures El and 58 formed in the wall 23 to hold the pin 58 in required set position. When the bent outer end of the pin 58 is in the aperture 3? the pin 58 functions only as a pivotal support for the finger 35. If it is desired, however, to hold the finger 34 withdrawn from the nickel runway 23, the pin 58 may be longitudinally moved to extend between the finger 34 and the wall 23. To do this, it is only necessary to Withdraw the bent end 6 3 of the pin 58 from the aperture Bl, manually swing the finger 34 outwardly from the wall 23, move the pin 38 longitudinally to extend between the finger 34 and the wall 23 and set the bent end 66 of the pin 58 in the aperture 68.

An electromagnet device 39 is provided to function independently of fingers 34 and 35 to direct accuses" coin's throughthe coin channel (nickelr irrespective of the latchedrconditionsof .fingersi34 and 35.

The electromagnet device 69 is mounted on the.

coin.chute 22 and may be controlled from a..t.c1e.; phone central'ofiice' so that the electromagnetdetvice will be energized to attract its armature. 1'1] when directcurrent'is'supplied'overithe telephone line to the telephone coin collector I122 The armatur'e'10 ise'quip'p'ed' with an arm 11" having a bent end portion":12* extendingv over to an aperture 11 in wall 23 of the chute and in communication-with anickel runway. When the armature Tilis attracted toward the core T3 and against the action of the armature restraining spring 14, the bent end portion 12 of the arm 1| moves in through the aperture 11 of wall 23 and blocks the passageway between walls 23 and 24 so that no coins entering the runway can come into engagement with the finger 34 and be held there in suspension. Projection 12 on arm 1| of the electromagnet device 69 when moved into the coin runway by the operation of the electromagnet, will deflect the travel of the coin and cause the coin to fall into the coin path directly in front of finger 35 and then follow the same path as any other coin that has tripped finger 35.

Assuming that a person proceeds to use the telephone coin collector in attempting to obtain a telephone call and that the telephone instrument 1 is resting on the switchhook I6, as shown in Fig. 1. In this case if a nickel is deposited in the coin gauge l8, the nickel will fall through the coin gauge l8 and into the coin chute 22 and will proceed down the coin chute 22 until the nickel reaches the relatively large aperture 31. The nickel will then fall through the aperture 31 and exterior of the coin chute 22 and into the coin refund opening l4 for return tothe person who deposited the nickel. No telephone call can therefore be obtained with a nickel while the tele phone instrument I1 is on the switchhook l6, as shown in Fig. 1, and the gate 36 is open, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4. In order to condition the coin chute 22 to prevent a nickel from falling out through the aperture 31, the telephone instrument |1 must be lifted to relieve the switchhook l6 from the weight of the telephone instrument l1, thus closing the gate 36, as shown in full lines in Fig. 4.

Assuming that the telephone instrument i1 is off the switchhook IS, the gate 36 will be closed, as shown in full lines in Fig. 4, under the action of the spring 4| since the pressure of the spring 4| is suflicient to move the gate 36 and the arm 42. The flexible arm 19, on the lever 44, on the shaft 45, is moved out of the way of the arm 42 and roller 18, by means of a spring pretensioned and operating against the leg 16 on the shaft 45 to lift the-switchhook I6 when the telephone instrument I1 is removed from the switchhook l6. When the gate 36 is closed and the nickel is deposited in the coin gauge l 8, the nickel will fall through the coin gauge l8 into the coin chute 22. The nickel will then proceed down the coin chute 22 to the finger 34 and will rest on the end portion 52 of the finger 34 as shown; in Fig. '1. The finger 34 is held against outward) movement from the nickel runway 26 by the arm portion 64 of the finger 35 extending over and in engagement with the arm portion 54 on the finger 34, the finger 35 being under the pressure of the spring 65. The first nickel deposited after gate 36 is closed will be held by the finger 34 against full passage through the coin chute 22 until the finger 3 are moved: to release the anm portion: 64 v from engagementwitlr the arm portion 54; Under this condition if a second nickel de;-

posited in thecoin gauge IS; the second nickel:

will go' down through the coin gauge |8-and the coin chute 22 and strike the first nickel. The second nickelas shown in Fig. 8-will roll off' the 65. The finger "35 will allowthe second nickel to pass downward through the coin chute 22 and the finger 34 will be tilted outward under-"the weight of the first nickel to let the first nickel proceed down the coin chute 22 since the tilting of the finger 35 under the action of the second nickel causes the arm portion 64 to move out of engagement with the arm portion 54 on the finger 34. Both the first and the second deposited nickel will proceed on down through the coin chute 22. One of the nickels will subsequently strike the trigger 32 and. operate the trigger 32 to close the switch 33 in the usual manner tocause a signal to be sent to a telephone central oifice to indicate that a telephone call is desired. It will be seen therefore that a telephone connection can be obtained from the coin collector apparatus H to a telephone central ofiice by removing the telephone instrument |1 from the switchhook I6 and then depositing two nickels in the telephone coin.- collector 2.

When talking current is applied to the telephone line between the central station and the telephone coin collector .l2, the electromagnet device 59 is energized to move arm 1| toward the chute and the projection 12 on arm 1| can pass through the aperture 11 in wall 23 and across the nickel coin path so that the coin cannot come into engagement with and be held in suspension by finger 34. The electromagnet de vice 69 is maintained energized while talking current is on the line and under this condition any subsequently deposited nickels will be deflected by the projection 12 on arm 1| from engagement with the finger 34 and will slip past finger 35 and go on down through the coin chute to be collected as part of the payment for the telephone call. When the telephone call has been completed and the telephone instrument i1 is replaced on the switchhook I6, as shown in Fig. 1, the gate 36 will be opened as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, under the weight of the telephone instrument H, the electromagnet device 69 will be deenergized and the projection 12 on the arm 1| will be withdrawn from the nickel runway 26.

What is claimed is:

A telephone coin collector apparatus comprising a housing, a switchhook for supporting a telephone instrument mounted on said housing, spaced apart walls positioned in said housing, said walls cooperating to form a coin runway, an electromagnet mounted on one of said walls, terminals on said electromagnet adapted for connection to a circuit for operating said electromagnet, said electromagnet having an extending arm portion thereon adapted to project through an aperture in one of said walls and into said coin runway when said electromagnet is energized, a plate hingedly mounted on said one wall and having a finger thereon extending into said runway below said arm portion, to releasably hold a coin from full passage through said runway, the other of said walls having a second aperture therein adjacent said hinged plate, a gate hingedly supported in said second aperture and forming a portion of said other wail, spring means on said gate for maintaining said gate in a closed position to confine a coin in said runway against said hingedly mounted plate, and an extending arm on said gate actuated by said switchhook for opening said gate to divert a coin out of said runway, said first arm operable by said electromagnet for deflecting a coin passing through said runway to prevent it from engaging the finger on said hingedly mounted plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number Name Date Schiano July 4, 1933 Collins Apr. 23, 1935 J onneret et a1 Apr. 6, 1937 Hoban Apr. 6, 1937 Friend Apr. '7, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Feb. 22, 1934 

